PEN America: Free Narges Mohammadi 'Unconditionally'

Following the announcement of a hunger strike by Narges Mohammadi, Nobel Peace Prize laureate and political prisoner in Evin Prison, PEN America emphasized the need for her immediate and unconditional release. PEN America stated on its X account: 'Hundreds have sent letters calling for Narges Mohammadi's release from prison and her reunion with her family. Following the news of her hunger strike, concerns about her health and safety have increased, and we continue to demand her unconditional release.' It was reported yesterday that Narges Mohammadi, a Nobel Peace Prize winner and political prisoner, has gone on hunger strike in protest of 'not being sent to the heart hospital.' Narges Mohammadi's family released a statement on an Instagram account attributed to this human rights defender, announcing the reason for her hunger strike as a protest against 'the Islamic Republic's policy of delaying and neglecting medical care for sick prisoners' and against 'the policy of either death or compulsory hijab for women in Iran.' According to this report, after a week of Narges Mohammadi's follow-ups from prison and her lawyer's inquiries from judicial authorities 'up to today' (Monday, November 6), the Tehran prosecutor has opposed her transfer and has not issued a permit for it. Meanwhile, according to the same source, this human rights defender 'should have been urgently transferred to a heart and lung center' according to the diagnosis and echo of the trusted physician of the prison organization a week ago. Narges Mohammadi has previously stated that she is not willing to comply with the compulsory hijab for her transfer to the hospital, and for this reason, judicial authorities have previously prevented her transfer to the hospital. The Instagram account attributed to Narges Mohammadi noted on Tuesday, November 8, that she has been prevented from receiving medical treatment for the second time since September 4 due to her refusal to wear the compulsory hijab and 'not wearing a headscarf.' According to this note, the prosecutor has ordered that 'under no circumstances' should Narges Mohammadi be transferred to the hospital without a headscarf. The statement published on the Instagram account of the Nobel Peace Prize winner mentioned that 'for the second time since September 4, she has been called to the women's section for transfer to the hospital and to undergo a lung CT scan and heart echo, but due to not wearing a headscarf, she has not been allowed to leave prison.' Narges Mohammadi previously emphasized that in honor of the 'martyrdom of Armita,' she would not tolerate the 'compulsory hijab.' The Nobel Committee awarded the Peace Prize to Narges Mohammadi on October 6 for her struggle against oppression and injustice towards women in Iran. Born in 1972 in Zanjan, she has been arrested and imprisoned multiple times over the past two decades. In her latest legal case, she was sentenced to 10 years in prison for 'anti-government propaganda' and is currently held in Evin Prison in Tehran.